asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the Report by the European Commission on Human Rights on the case brought against the Government of the United Kingdom by the Government of the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Commission's Report has been forwarded in confidence to the United Kingdom Government, the Government of the Republic of Ireland and all other member Governments of the Council of Europe. Under the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights the Report remains a confidential document until the relevant European authorities have released it. It would be a breach of this confidence for me to disclose the contents of the Report, but I can say that the Government would see no objection to the early publication of the Report.